Thursday, 11 June 2009

Signwear

STOP! Have you seen our visually arresting new enCOUNTER exhibition? Guaranteed to stop you in your tracks, our current exhibition features work by Melbourne-based jeweller Linda Hughes. Entitled Signwear, the jewellery is inspired by (you guessed it) street signage, a recurrent theme in Linda's work.

And now for the all-important artist statement:

Cautionary street signage is designed to scream its presence; it is rich and compelling in the landscape yet with familiarity can remain invisible amid the sheer everydayness of the streetscape. Lifting familiar motifs into a jewellery context re-examines the subject, shifting the iconography into fiction and may only tenuously be connected to the original.

The abstracted jewellery form carries symbolism and colour codes from the street. The intention is to elevate the commonplace which may lead to a compelling presence as jewellery.Placed on the body the work does not assume adornment, but invites attention and reflection on the continual commentary that directs the traveller. Bold, Stop the traffic, wearable pieces reflect the complex theatre of public space.

And now for some images of the show (which is also all-important):

Linda's exhibition is on until Sunday 14 June. Why not walk up and have a look at the show after Craft Hatch on Saturday? Don't forget to look left, look right, and then look left again!

Coming up tomorrow, a special Introducing feature on Linda. Stay tuned for more...